The passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle typically includes an instrument panel that is essentially a plastic structure with air flow ducts and components with electronic elements that generate heat, such as power transistors for radios. The components in the instrument panel include, in addition to a radio or tape deck, a cluster of direct reading sensor displays, control circuitry, air conditioning and cooling vent controls, and other vehicle control components arranged in a compact assembly. The components, which are assembled with economy of space, create a heat build-up in the interior of the instrument panel. Air surrounding the components typically is prevented from circulating freely through the instrument panel.
The need for preventing an uncontrolled heat build-up in a restricted environment for electronic elements has been recognized, not only in the automotive industry but also in the aircraft industry. A cooling system for electronic components is required in order to avoid deterioration and to improve reliability.
A cooling system adapted especially for aircraft is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,484. Avionic equipment in the system of the '484 patent can be cooled notwithstanding the close proximity of the avionic elements, one with respect to the other, in an aircraft pilot's compartment. The system provides air flow ducts that form a part of a cooling system using a redundant cooling air flow supply, the flow being powered by electric fans. Each cooling air source has a back-up auxiliary fan in the event of failure of the primary fan. In this way, cooling air flow for critical avionic equipment necessary for safe flight is ensured.
A typical example of a cooling system for controlling a temperature build-up for electronic control devices for an automotive vehicle is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,693. Electronic components, such as power transistors, thermistors, and power resistances capable of generating significant amounts of heat can be cooled by arranging these elements on an air mixing baffle that controls the direction of flow of air from an air blower in an air conditioning system for the vehicle. The components are located on the baffle at a location where they are proximate to the exit air flow of the blower.